Have you ever seen anyone with a weird lump of fat sticking out of their body and wondered what it was? The chances are good that it was an example of lipoma. You maybe wondered whether it was harmful or whether they needed to get it removed. Maybe you thought about what you would do if the same thing happened on your body. Well, this blog is here to help you answer those questions.
A Definition of Lipoma
Essentially a lipoma is a clump of fat located under your skin. It grows slowly and rarely hurts. While the bump itself is not very malleable, it will move if you gently poke it. Lipoma often feels like a ball of rubber somehow inserted under the skin.
It’s very important to note that lipoma is not cancerous. In fact, not only is it not cancerous, it is generally not harmful. This means that, unless it grows to be very large or (for some odd reason) is actually painful, you don’t even need to get it treated.
Where Does It Come From?
Doctors still don’t know what exactly can cause a lipoma to begin growing. Often, it is hereditary and inherited. It is not caused by being overweight. It’s not as if you are gaining weight and some of the fat just decides to all grow together in one place. Instead, there is something that triggers this growth, whether that is an injury, pure genetics, or some unknown factor.
Possible Treatments for Lipoma
Lipoma treatment, as mentioned above, is rarely required. A lipoma will never become cancerous. However, if it becomes painful, starts draining, or interferes with your day-to-day movement or life, you should look into the surgical removal of your lipoma. Even if you just don’t like the way it looks, like is a good enough reason for you to talk to your doctor about its removal.
Often, surgical removal (unless the lipoma is in an inconvenient area) is easy. It is an outpatient procedure that involves local anesthetic, simple fat removal through an incision, and stitching it closed.
If you have a lipoma and are thinking about getting it removed, talk to your physician about your options.
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